NRCG Equipment Committee

Inspector Workshop Planning Meeting

Thursday – February 27, 2003

DNRC – FAMB Conference Room

Missoula, Montana

 

 

Present:

 

Richard Grady – DNRC – Chairman – NRCG Equipment Committee

Ann Vogt – BLM – Billings NRCG Equipment Committee

Roberta Whitlock – USFS-NRCG Business Committee Liaison

Darrell Kurk – Rural Fire Coordinator with DNRC – Billings

Scott Kuhn – Technical Specialist – NRCG Equipment Committee

George McLaughlan – Montana Highway Patrol – Helena

Joe Wulfekuhle – Vice Chairperson – NRCG Equipment Committee

Rocky L. Tom – Montana Highway Patrol – Missoula

Kevin Erickson – USFS – NRCG Equipment Committee

Willie Boyer – Fleet Manager – USFS in Missoula

Bruce Mottern – Idaho Department of Lands – NRCG Equipment Committee

 

Richard welcomed everyone to the planning meeting and gave a brief report on the NRCG Spring Board Meeting on behalf of the NRCG Equipment Committee.

 

Nomination Report:

 

·                     Kevin Erickson reported that as of 2/28/03 he had received 62 nominations for the Missoula Workshop and 20 for the Billings Workshop.  Kevin stated that the confirmation letters will be sent out by March 14, 2003.

 

·                     The development of the Missoula and Billings workshop agenda was completed with a draft format for review to the equipment membership in attendance.  Roberta Whitlock will get the drafts out for review to the equipment committee for input and finalize before the confirmation letters are sent and the scheduled workshops.  Will coordinate with Levin Erickson and Ann Vogt.

 

·                     Once the development of the draft agenda were completed, a further review was made regarding the delegation of the duties and responsibilities as outlined by the Chairman.

 

NRCG Equipment Workshop Organizational Structure

 

Equipment Workshop Coordinator: - Richard Grady

 

Safety:

 

Everyone will work together to insure that any activity around the equipment during the field day is safe.

All are aware of liability issues today and if needed, will appoint someone as safety officer for the field day at each workshop.

 

Public Information:

 

Richard Grady will contact Dan Bushnell DNRC Public Information Officer regarding positive media coverage concerning the workshops and the efforts of NRCG concerning safety efforts on fire equipment pre-season inspections.

 

Agency Representation:

 

All agencies will be represented through the NRCG Equipment Committee and the effort regarding the workshops.

 

Operations:

 

·                     Kevin Erickson and Joe Wulfekuhle will oversee the operations of the Missoula Workshop.

Roberta Whitlock will help as needed on the workshops.

 

·                     Ann Vogt and Darrell Kurk will oversee the operations of the Missoula Workshop.

 

·                     All NRCG Equipment Committee members and other interested individuals that want to help with the workshop are asked to contact the designated operations workshop coordinators.  Efforts will be made to get in contact with the NRCG Equipment Committee by the operations coordinators ASAP.

 

Planning Committee Membership:

 

·                     The NRCG Equipment Committee will work together on the planning of the workshop.

 

·                     If anyone on the committee wants to oversee this, please get a hold of Rick.     

 

·                     At the Missoula workshops a pre-planning meeting will be held at 1000 hours on March 31, 2003 at Ruby’s to go over the workshop format and help get things set up etc.

 

Logistics:(Roberta Whitlock/Bruce Mottern):

 

·                     Bruce Mottern will over see the logistical needs for the workshops working with Roberta.  The Job Aid was reviewed and input provided.  It will get finalized between Roberta and Bruce before the workshops.  Printing of materials, etc will be coordinated between BLM, DNRC and USFS for the workshops.

 

·                     The classroom part in Missoula will be held at Ruby’s Inn.  Kevin, Joe and Scott will work together on the field location and coordinating equipment.  It was stressed we want equipment that is in fair condition to good, with wear and can show to those attending what we really need to be looking at on the pre-season inspections.

 

·                     The classroom part in Billings will be held at the Holiday Inn (Ann will get this confirmed or another location before 3/14/03).  Looking at the BLM/DNCR complex east of Billings Airport for the field day.  Will work with members of the NRCG Equipment Committee on the east side and North Dakota to help with the Billings workshop.

 

·                     It was decided to make sure we had tenders, dozer, skidder, transport, water truck, engines backhoe, excavator, bus grader, and fuel vender with a demonstration of the protection area set up for input at each workshop.

 

·                     Efforts will be made to work with the local Motor Vehicle Carriers of the Montana DOT to have portable scales to discuss GVWR/GVW at each workshop.

 

·                     George McLaughlan will get with Rick regarding information to get copied in Helena and routed to Missoula and Billings.  Those attending should provide the fire line handbook but we will have some on hand.  The Safety Code will be provided by USFS along with Chapter 20 information and the Incident Pocket Guide handbook.  Kevin will get some ordered and the job aids Roberta will get published.  Ann stated that BLM would help in getting the materials for the Billings workshop.

 

Finance-(Agency Specific):

 

·                     USFS – In kind service and help with some of the handouts, conference room at Ruby’s (?)

·                     DNRC – Tim Murphy has allocated $500.00 – Joe and Rick need to coordinate with Murphy on the funding allocation.  DNRC is also providing in kind services with DNRC representatives.

·                     BLM – Ann stated that they would help with the Billings workshop.

·                     Other agencies are in kind contributions.

·                     Private – Scott will work on their assistance and if some funding is needed to off set costs, will work with Ann, Joe and Roberta.

 

Equipment Inspection Teams:

 

Further details will be worked up following the minutes from the NRCG Board of Directors meeting last week and the Chairperson report to the Board for directions and support of the equipment inspection teams for 2003.

 

Chapter 20 Review:

 

Roberta asked everyone to review the synopsis that she had put together regarding Chapter 20 with all the changes that the NRCG Equipment Committee had provided input on, along with the NRCG Business Committee.  Comments were made and discussed, with those changes noted by Roberta to take back to the NRCG Business Committee.  Everyone thanked Roberta for the opportunity to comment and supported her efforts on getting the final draft out by early March 2003.

 

Everyone will stay in contact via e-mail, telephone, conference calls, etc regarding the workshops over the next three weeks as needed to help each other on the planning of the workshops.

 

Joe reviewed the current Equipment Committee membership list for updates.  This will get updated, and forwarded out to everyone by March 14, 2003.